>> russia has always maintained that. it's for the syrians themselves to decide who is going to lead the country and the syrian people. but russia has always been prepared to work for a political outcome. in fact, we were instrumental in putting together the geneva communication in the actions of the meeting with the foreign minister and participation of kofi annan who was the secretary general's special envoy which provides for the steps which are necessary in order to have a political conclusion to the crisis in syria. we agreed just recently with americans in a meeting with mr. brahimi participated in and mr. burns from the u.s. state department that they continue to be the only consensus realistic basis for a political outcome. so this is our platform. >> woodruff: let me ask you, mr. ambassador. if you're saying it's up to the syrians, isn't that really saying we just let the two sides continue to fight it out no matter what the cost in lives is? what is it, 40,000 syrians have already died? two million have been dis